November 18, 2022
New members were recently inducted into Pearl River Community College’s Beta Tau Gamma chapter of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. The induction ceremony was held in the J. Cecil Burt Special Events room of the Forrest County Campus.
Phi Theta Kappa is known as the foremost honor society for two-year colleges with over 1,300 chapters worldwide. Students selected for membership are considered academically successful having completed at least 12 credit hours of non-remedial courses with a minimum cumulative 3.4 GPA.
Inductees received congratulations and news of increased transfer scholarships from Dr. Joe Paul, President of The University of Southern Mississippi. Other speakers for the special event included Dr. Jana Causey, Vice President of Forrest County Campus Operations; Dr. Ryan Ruckel, Dean of the Dr. William Lewis Honors Institute on the Forrest County Campus and Regional Coordinator of the Mississippi/Louisiana Region of Phi Theta Kappa as well as Dr. Greg Underwood, Dean of Academics at Forrest County Campus.
Chapter officers of Beta Tau Gamma chapter were first inducted during the ceremony. Pictured are Dr. Ryan Ruckel, Benjamin Hartley, Hattiesburg (VP of Leadership); Noah Taylor, Hattiesburg (VP of Transfer Readiness); Ameze Ekunwe, Hattiesburg (VP of Recruitment); Tobias Adams, Oak Grove (President); Kathryn Scharwath, Oak Grove (VP of Service); Andrew Purvis, Sumrall (VP of Recruitment); Dr. David Collum, and Dr. Doug Donohue. Not pictured are Jadon Glenn, Petal (VP of Fellowship), Katie Anne McNair, Hattiesburg (VP of Service), and Dr. Terri Smith Ruckel.
The induction ceremony recognized twenty-nine new members including Brytani Albritton, Naliyah Barnes, Jaden Bolling, Anna Branch, Myranda Brewer, Carlo Catlett, Sawyer Chaney, Mackenzie Corts, Amiya Crowell, Sara Evins, Preslie Fisher, Jadon Glenn, Clarissa Grames, Klara Greer, Savannah Gygi, Shameka Hamilton Knight, Sylvia Lauderdale, Katelyn McCain, Haley McCray, Kitti Molnar, Hailey Morgan, Morgan Owens, Lisa Riels, Anna Rowell, Jillian Scheeler, Lindsey Smith, Reagan Smith, Shekinah Trotter, Shakeria Whigham, Dawson Williamson, Kaedi Williamson, and Alexandria Young.
Inductees pictured are Dr. Ryan Ruckel; Preslie Fisher, Hattiesburg; Carlo Catlett, Hattiesburg; Delanie Dublin, Atlanta, GA; Brytani Albritton, Rochester, New York; Dr. Joe Paul; Dr. Jana Causey; Sylvia Lauderdale, Hattiesburg; Shameka Hamilton Knight, Mendenhall; Clarissa Grames, Petal; and Harley Morgan, Gulfport.
Beta Tau Gamma advisors are Dr. David Collum, Dr. Douglas Donohue, Mr. Said Otwane, and Drs. Ryan and Terri Smith Ruckel.
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Article by Laura O’Neill and Dr. Terri Smith Ruckel.
Photography by Forrest County Campus administration.
